


Giving Destiny A Little Help

by Dreamin



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Matchmaking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-12
Updated: 2019-11-12
Packaged: 2021-01-29 05:10:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21404740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreamin/pseuds/Dreamin
Summary: Aang, Sokka, Toph, and Iroh are determined to match up Zuko and Katara.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 75





	Giving Destiny A Little Help

**Author's Note:**

  * For [afteriwake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/gifts).

> I haven't watched all of ATLA yet, I'm still on Book Three. I'm guessing it ends with Zuko as the new Fire Lord, so that's what I'm going with here.

“Act natural,” Aang stage-whispered as they got closer to the palace.

“Yeah,” Sokka added in his normal, slightly too-loud tone, “it’s not like we’re doing anything illegal.”

“This time,” Toph muttered.

Katara rolled her eyes. “Behave yourselves.”

Aang grinned. “Like I said, act natural.”

“I can’t do both,” Sokka protested. “You’re going to have to pick one, and may I suggest ‘act natural?’ That’ll be easier.”

“You’re hopeless,” Katara muttered.

When they got to the gate, Aang walked right up to the guards and grinned. “Hi! We’re here to see our good buddy, the Fire Lord.”

The guards looked at each other, dumbfounded, then the first one asked, “Is … is he expecting you?”

“No,” Aang admitted quietly, “but-”

“But he said we could drop in anytime,” Sokka cut in, grinning from ear to ear. “Tell the Fire Lord that the Avatar and his friends are here to see him.”

“Make it snappy,” Toph added, smirking. “You don’t want to keep the Avatar waiting.”

“Yes, ma’am!” both guards said, saluting.

The four of them were quickly ushered into a sitting room and were promised that the Fire Lord and tea would be there shortly.

“Easier than water off a turtle-duck’s back,” Aang declared, grinning, as he sat down on a floor cushion.

Katara looked uncomfortable as she sat down across from him. “I don’t know… We did put Zuko on the spot. What if he’s busy?”

Sokka scoffed as he sat down. “If the leader of the Fire Nation can’t take time out of his schedule to see his friends, then he’s working too hard.”

“He’s probably dying to get away from the endless meetings,” Toph said as she sat down. “I know I would be.”

“I assure you,” said a new voice from the doorway, “the Fire Lord is always happy to have a reason to leave a meeting early.”

The four of them looked up as Iroh entered with a tea tray and their faces lit up. “Uncle Iroh!”

He chuckled. “Hello, you four. I was wondering when you’d drop in again. At least this time, it was through the door instead of the ceiling.”

“Yeah,” Sokka said, grinning, “we thought we’d leave the theatrics at home just this once.”

Iroh sat down on a cushion then started pouring tea. “Then I look forward to next time.”

“You look well, Uncle Iroh,” Katara said, smiling. “Finally being home agrees with you.”

Iroh shrugged. “Home is where the heart is, as they say. My heart has always been with my family, so wherever Zuko was, that was home.”

“How is the Fire Brat?” Toph asked, grinning.

“Toph!” Katara scolded lightly, trying to hide her smile. “It’s not nice to call someone names in their own home.”

Iroh chuckled. “Zuko is well, though I think he’d rather roam the world with you four than rule the Fire Nation.”

“Can you blame him?” Sokka asked, grinning. “What are feather beds and silk sheets compared to sleeping on a thin bed roll with a rock digging into your back?”

“Or a seven-course meal compared to scrounging for nuts and berries?” Toph asked.

“Or a hot bath compared to a freezing waterfall?” Katara asked.

“Wait, you guys **like** those things?” Aang asked, feigning confusion. Everyone laughed, including a new voice from the doorway.

“I’ll admit there are some advantages to being the Fire Lord,” Zuko said, grinning, as he took his seat between Iroh and Katara. “Living like a civilized person is one of them.”

“Eh, civilized is sooo overrated,” Sokka said dismissively, then he grinned. “Good to see you, buddy. How’s royal life treating you?”

“Have you thrown anyone in the dungeon yet?” Aang asked, grinning.

“**Please** tell me you don’t stay cooped up inside all day,” Toph said. “I know you’re a firebender but you still need to feel the dirt under your feet once in a while.”

“Are you getting enough rest?” Katara asked gently. Of the four of them, she was the one who sounded the most concerned.

Zuko gazed at her long enough that Sokka cleared his throat. Shaking his head a bit, he then grinned at them. “In order – well enough, not yet but the day is young, I take a walk in the garden every evening, and I get as much sleep as I can.”

While Katara gently admonished Zuko about his sleeping habits, Sokka caught Aang’s eye and inclined his head towards the pair, grinning. Aang grinned back, nodding.

When Zuko reluctantly left to attend another meeting and the girls left to check out the garden, Iroh turned to Aang and Sokka, one eyebrow raised. “I know a conspiracy brewing when I see it.”

“I bet Zuko’s advsiors are telling him he needs to settle down soon,” Sokka said, smirking.

“He still has a few more years before they start breathing down his neck,” Iroh said. “Why do you ask?”

“It would give us a good reason to match up Zuko and my sister.”

“They’re already crazy about each other,” Aang added. “We just need to make them see it.”

“Matchmaking’s not my forte,” Iroh said, then he grinned, “but if it’s Zuko’s happiness we’re talking about, I’m in.”

“Toph too,” Sokka said. “She says Katara never stops talking about him when it’s just the two of them.”

“This’ll be easier than I thought,” Aang said. “We’ll have them betrothed in no time.”

“Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, Fire Lady,” Sokka said thoughtfully, then he grinned. “I like it.”

Iroh chuckled. “She does make my nephew happier than I’ve ever seen him. So, where do we start?”


End file.
